Let's have open Medicaid talk

Starting Monday, discussion of Medicaid expansion in Mississippi will take center stage as legislative hearings get underway and groups on both sides of the issue hold rallies.

To date, all we have heard is a lot of political posturing and partisan disagreement. All it has gotten us is a failed attempt to simply reauthorize Medicaid under its current form. No meaningful discussion of anything else has taken place.

Legislative leaders, so far, have been quiet on the issue. While we know they are against expanding Medicaid in general, they will say nothing when questioned about how they plan to handle cuts to federal funds that hospitals use to cover the cost of indigent care. These funds represent roughly $200 million annually to Mississippi health care providers across the state.

We understand the politics behind not stating a position on a controversial matter before one absolutely must. However, we're not interested in the politics of our legislative leaders. We are interested in their ideas on Medicaid expansion in the event our hospitals are placed at risk.

Gov. Phil Bryant, up until this week, had held his tongue as well. Speaking against Obamacare and Medicaid expansion in general, Bryant - like Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn - would only say we don't have enough information. But this week, Bryant stated unequivocally that he would not support Medicaid expansion under any scenario. Instead, he would sue the federal government.

While we question the wisdom of such a lawsuit - not to mention the certain mountain of legal fees it would pile up - at least Bryant is speaking candidly. We could use more candid discussion.

In Arkansas, state leaders are looking at expanding Medicaid by using the federal funds to purchase private insurance plans for those who qualify for the program. Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe said the plan came from leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature, who otherwise would not have supported expansion.

We are not necessarily endorsing either of these ideas. They are both fraught with pitfalls, but they both show ingenuity and creative thinking. They came from open dialogue among state leaders, which is missing here in Mississippi.

When it comes to Medicaid expansion, we have great concerns about our ability to afford the added expense - both as a state and as a nation. However, from strictly a state perspective, we have even a great concern about our local hospitals and how they will be able to handle what could be deep cuts to their indigent care funds.

While state leaders can do nothing to make the Obama administration stop delaying and finally release its plans for the reductions of those funds, they can start a constructive dialogue about how to handle such cuts.

It is clear that the political will - much less the actual votes - does not exist to expand Medicaid as things stand today. So this week, lawmakers and special interest groups should not waste time discussing this idea. Instead, their focus should be on how to offset the loss of federal funds for indigent care so that our hospitals remain open and vital services are not cut.

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Let's have open Medicaid talk

Starting Monday, discussion of Medicaid expansion in Mississippi will take center stage as legislative hearings get underway and groups on both sides of the issue hold rallies.